Pregnancy is an exciting time. For a working mother however, it can be costly and uncomfortable. In order for a career woman who becomes pregnant to stay looking professional it may be necessary for her to buy several suits in several sizes to get her through the pregnancy. The changing shape of a pregnant woman's body however cannot always be addressed with just buying a larger size leaving the pregnant mom-to-be looking sloppy and unprofessional. Few maternity suits are available, and those suits do not necessarily address all the issues of a pregnant woman's body during and soon after pregnancy.
Many maternity garments are not suitable for business situations. They contain permanent maternity panels that can be bulky and cumbersome during early pregnancy (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,280,229; 4,506,390; 7,814,575 B2; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0010571 A1; and European Patent Application No. 1 629 737 A2). A pregnancy band is available but can slip because it is not attached to the article of clothing (U.S. Pat. No. 7,181,775 B2). Allowing a belly band to be detached from a garment would make the garment truly versatile during all stages of pregnancy. Trousers with a zipper detachable waistband is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,320 ('320). In the '320 patent, the waistband of the trousers carrying the gun belt is detachable from the uniform trouser of a police officer.
A need remains for maternity wear that is adaptable to a woman's body during all stages of pregnancy including postpartum. Suit components should adjust to the changing shape of the wearer yet convey a professional, fitted look.
All patents, patent applications, provisional patent applications and publications referred to or cited herein, are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the extent they are not inconsistent with the teachings of the specification.